Here we have our real gaming tests. Each of the games we chose use multiple cores and GPUs. They are able to stress the system through use of good AI. Both have decent positional audio that adds impact to the sound subsystem of the board. We ran each game through the level or parts listed and recorded frames per second using FRAPS. This brings the whole game into play.

As most IGPs are not meant for high-end gaming we have swapped out one of our First Person Shooters for a more mainstream game. We have also adjusted down the testing resolution from 1920x1200 to 1280x960. In order to keep full measure of the board we return to 1920x1200 when we test the board with our HD 5870.

The SIMS 3 is the third complete edition of this popular game. In it you create a personality for use in a virtual world. The town we chose was Sunset Valley, we created a basic character and off we went. We performed as many actions as we were able to in order to give the board and GPU as much to think about as we could. The settings we used are shown below.

Settings for IGP testing at 1280x960

Settings for the HD 5870 testing at 1920x1200

The SIMS 3 testing has returned us back to reality. With the HD GMA the game was not playable. While you could easily drop in a discrete GPU and things would be okay, it is still disappointing to see this level of performance.

Far Cry 2 is a large sandbox style game. There are no levels here so as you move about the island you are on you do not have to wait for the "loading" sign to go away. It is mission driven so each mission is what you would normally think of as the next "level".

In the game you take the role of a mercenary who has been sent to kill the Jackal. Unfortunately, your malaria kicks in and you end up being found by him. Long story short, you become the errand boy for a local militia leader and run all over the island doing his bidding. The settings we used for testing are shown below.

Settings for IGP testing at 1280x960

Settings for the HD 5870 testing at 1920x1200

Another disappointing showing from the HD GMA. This is not the fault of the board directly but will still affect your ability to play games.

Gaming Conclusion

As usual, we have shown that the HD GMA is not meant for high end gaming. This is not the fault of the board as the GPU is bolted onto the CPU is the culprit. The H55N-USB3 can game fairly well once you drop in a better GPU.

We at TweakTown openly invite the companies who provide us with review samples / who are mentioned or discussed to express their opinion of our content. If any company representative wishes to respond, we will publish the response here.